Mayday

Wayne Kovok starts every sentence with "Did you know..." Did you know that Russian turtles orbited the moon before any astronauts ever did? Did you know that falling vending machines kill more people than sharks each year? Wayne has always relied on his voice to change the subject in awkward situations (which are everywhere in seventh grade).

All that changes on a trip back from Arlington National Cemetery where he and his mother picked up the flag commemorating the death of his uncle, a soldier in Iraq. The plane home crashes, and Wayne loses his voice. They both lose the perfectly folded honor flag, sucked out of the plane somewhere over the great state of Texas. It's not until Wayne loses his voice completely that he realizes how much he doesn't say: his deadbeat dad doesn't take responsibility for hurting him, his military grandfather puts impossible pressure on Wayne to follow in his footsteps, and the girl Wayne likes is maybe-possibly dating him out of pity.

In this unforgettable journey of family and friendship, Wayne starts a quest to find the flag, and in the

“Praise for Mayday : "A fine character-driven tale that slowly grows to a crescendo of satisfaction ." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)”

Praise for Mayday "A fine character-driven tale that slowly grows to a crescendo of satisfaction." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Wayne's is an authentic, funny, and sometimes sarcastic teen voice, which comes through clearly, even when he can't speak out loud.... in this sweet tale of survival, heroism, and the search for strength." --School Library Journal "The main characters are well depicted and highly appealing.... Thought provoking and touching, Mayday applies to anyone who has ever felt like an outcast and wishes to become someone with a sense of pride." --VOYA * "Wayne is an appealing protagonist with a strong voice who develops believably over the difficult months, as do the other characters. A well-done book on all levels."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Karen Harrington is the author of "There's a Dog in the Doorway," and the recipient of honors from the Hemingway Short Story Festival, the Texas Film Institute Screenplay Contest, and the "Writer's Digest" National Script Contest. She lives in Plano, Texas.

Wayne Kovok starts every sentence with "Did you know..." Did you know that Russian turtles orbited the moon before any astronauts ever did? Did you know that falling vending machines kill more people than sharks each year? Wayne has always relied on his voice to change the subject in awkward situations (which are everywhere in seventh grade).All that changes on a trip back from Arlington National Cemetery where he and his mother picked up the flag commemorating the death of his uncle, a soldier in Iraq. The plane home crashes, and Wayne loses his voice. They both lose the perfectly folded honor flag, sucked out of the plane somewhere over the great state of Texas. It's not until Wayne loses his voice completely that he realizes how much he doesn't say: his deadbeat dad doesn't take responsibility for hurting him, his military grandfather puts impossible pressure on Wayne to follow in his footsteps, and the girl Wayne likes is maybe-possibly dating him out of pity. In this unforgettable journey of family and friendship, Wayne starts a quest to find the flag, and in the

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